Q&A (LeopaGel™ and other Gel items)

If the LeopaGel™ is runny when exiting the spout, is it still ok to feed?

There will be no negative impact on the reptile’s health if this material is consumed. However, we recommend removing any watery gel, because it includes almost no nutrition or fiavors.

How long are the Gel items good for if kept in the fridge?

All of our testing shows remains safe for about 30 days when used and kept as directed. While we have confirmed it still safe up to 60 days (only a very small number of bacteria were found), we recommend using it within 30 days to avoid any bacteria issues caused by your utensils or gloved fingers touching the spout area.
Furthermore, LeopaGel™ gradually loses its fiavorful taste and texture with time. Please remember, all our Gel items, are free of preservatives that can harm your pet reptile over time. For this reason, refrigeration after opening and use within 30 days is very important!

I forgot to put Gel items in the refrigerator after opening, is it still OK to use?

Gel items contain no preservatives and the quality degrades rapidly if you don’t keep it refrigerated. Especially in warmer room temperatures, it can be harmful very rapidly. Therefore, please always keep Gel items in the refrigerator once opened and never use it if it has an unpleasant smell or the package starts to swell. Both are indications the quality has degraded and is not safe to feed your pet.

When using Gel items stored in the refrigerator, should I wait until the food reaches room temperature before use?

Feeding trials at the Hikari® Aquatic Lab found no digestive or growth problems, even when we feed Gel items immediately after removing it from the refrigerator.
If you are not comfortable feeding a cold product or you keep your refrigerator very low, pick off the proper amount of food and wait until it gets to room temperature before feeding. Under no circumstances should you let the food warm for more than 15 minutes and never allow it to come in contact with any surface that could transfer bacteria to it during this time. Anything the food touches while warming will also be eaten by your pet.

I stored Gel items in a freezer after opening. Can I still use it?

While our testing at the Hikari® Aquatic Laboratory has found that freezing doesn’t reduce the nutritional content of the food and can help it last longer, we do not recommend freezing. Once frozen Gel items won’t have its normal texture and cannot retain its shape as moisture is lost during thawing.

When I started feeding my gecko LeopaGel™, it got diarrhea. Should I stop feeding?

It is possible that some geckos can have watery feces when switching from one food to another. We have found this to be a temporary issue with no negative impact to the reptile unless it persists for more than a few days.

How many crickets is the nutritional value of LeopaGel™ equivalent to?

Approximately 1cm of LeopaGel™ offers the calories of about three 2cm crickets, but much better nutrition.